


Under the Mistletoe

by lookingforatardis



Series: Charmie Ficmas 2018 [2]
Category: Call Me By Your Name (2017) RPF
Genre: If You Squint - Freeform, Kissing, M/M, Mistletoe, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-05 20:38:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16818046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookingforatardis/pseuds/lookingforatardis
Summary: It started out as just a decoration that amused Harper, something funny for the Hammer holiday parties, but despite their efforts, they just can't quite seem to avoid the mistletoe, can they? *Follows the guys over a few years*





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Definitely fiction because Timmy doesn't visit Armie every holiday season for some party but hey, it's called fic for a reason amiright?? They still filmed CMBYN in this verse.

"Daddy! You gotta kiss!"

That was how it started, a holiday party at the Hammer's where wine flowed a little too freely. Harper had been thrilled with the mistletoe, giggling anytime Elizabeth and Armie inadvertently stepped under it, even more so if she could trap someone under it with her. It was a game, and since it was adorable, neither Elizabeth or Armie ever refused her little ruse. They'd both forgotten about it as the party went on, but not Harper. She'd sat with her legs dangling in her chair with a sippy cup of warm cider just waiting.

And sure, Timmy probably should have anticipated this considering Armie told him about her obsession with the stupid thing, but after a few glasses, he wasn't about to care.

So that's how it happened, Harper in footy pajamas while friends and chosen family filled the lower level of the house, Armie and Timmy laughing about some stupid thing Nick has said while they walked into the next room to say hi to someone, Armie's hand on Timmy's shoulder as they pressed through the doorway.

Elizabeth, for what it's worth, just laughed and shrugged, folded her arms, and looked at Harper. Armie wasn't quite sure what to make of it, so he brushed it off, shrugged, leaned over and kissed Timmy's cheek. And Harper was thrilled, giggling and dancing in the kitchen.

Timmy tried to think nothing of it as the party went on, but it became difficult quickly.

_"That was a bitch kiss."_

_"How did you make that movie if that's what you call a kiss?"_

_"Does your kid know that wasn't a real kiss?"_

_"It's cute how you're afraid to kiss a dude after all this time."_

Most were aimed at Armie, but some slid through Timmy's conversations. He'd spent enough time with Armie's friends to know they liked to shoot the shit and tease the hell out of him. It was part of their charm, Timmy supposed, their brotherly bonds. But this seemed extreme. Armie laughed it all off and gave it back, but sometimes Timmy looked over and saw something in his eyes that made him feel the need to save him from conversations.

Elizabeth pulled him under the mistletoe around midnight, after Harper went to bed, and Timmy tried not to take it personally that Armie kissed _her_.

They avoided the doorway after that, Armie always careful to let Timmy walk through first even if Harper wasn't around.

* * *

The next year, Timmy wasn't sure he'd make it. He flew in last minute to spend a few days with them for the holidays before heading back to the city, strategically planning it so he could make their party at Elizabeth's request.

He'd noticed the mistletoe immediately despite it being in a different doorway, and while he'd suppressed the memory of the year before, he couldn't quite forget once he saw Armie walk under it the night he arrived. Armie caught him staring and laughed softly, scratched his neck. "Yeah, can you believe it was the first thing Hops wanted to put up? Crazy kid," he shook his head.

"I don't know. It's probably a good thing," Timmy said, wandering to grab a glass of water. Armie followed and leaned against the counter, waiting for an explanation. "I mean… it means she likes it when you guys show affection, right? Maybe she just likes seeing that."

"Seeing us kiss?"

"No, if that was it, she wouldn't care if you guys kissed her when she trapped you under it. She likes seeing love," Timmy said, as if it was the simplest thing.

Armie couldn't stop thinking about it all day, all night, even into the next day when Harper pulled Timmy over and kissed his cheeks with a big smile up at Armie.

The party was even bigger than the year before, Armie attributing it to Elizabeth wanting to include everyone, not just close friends this time. He didn't care, as long as Timmy showed up. _It's not family if we can't get him here, Elizabeth._ She'd agreed and helped work with Timmy's schedule to plan accordingly. As they decorated, or rather, their team decorated, Timmy sat back in awe as he watched the place be transformed for the party, Harper in his lap with a snowman themed book, tapping his shoulder any time he took too long to read a page. By the time people began showing up, he was hyper aware of the differences between the party the year before and this. People he'd never met were here, and the drinks and food had an upgrade. He was a little out of his element until Armie pressed a glass of Jack and coke into his hand with a conspiratory smirk. _Only holiday drinks, Armie!_ Elizabeth had insisted. For the "theme."

It took three hours for them to forget about rules. Armie was always handsier when he smoked and/or drank, a fact most at the party knew all too well. His hands were around Timmy's waist when he snuck up on him, over his shoulder, even insisted they dance when the party really got going, which surprised even Timmy. The press tour had made them more willing to touch than the year before, a pattern everyone seemed to accept. They forgot, though, the detail of the mistletoe.

Or rather, Timmy stopped caring once Harper went to bed, thinking that would be that. It seemed he wasn't the only one who remembered the year before, however. They'd been walking into opposite rooms when it happened, not even intentionally going through the door at the same time, when Nick's voice boomed, called them out for it as if he'd been waiting all night. Timmy groaned, memory flooding of the year before as his cheeks turned pink. "A real kiss you bastards," Nick teased with a challenging smirk. Armie shook his head and his drink sloshed in his glass dangerously as he looked at Timmy.

"It's tradition," Timmy shrugged, forcing his anxiety away. If Elizabeth didn't want this to happen, she wouldn't have put it up, right? At least, he told himself that to justify kissing a married man. As if he hadn't done it countless times before. "Just do it."

Armie rolled his eyes at Ashton and Nick egging them on, let his eyes slip shut, and pressed his lips against Timmy's for the briefest of moments before pulling back.

"Wow, it really was all for show, huh?" Nick teased later, nudging Timmy's shoulder. "No spark at all, huh?"

"Shut up, Nick."

* * *

The next year, Armie's mother had wanted to come, and since she'd asked Elizabeth before Armie, she'd booked a flight before ever even clearing it with her son. It wasn't a big deal, Armie told himself. Not a big deal at all. Not until Timmy confirmed he'd be free that week as well, and suddenly the arrival of the two of them and the promise of a "family" holiday party (as Dru called it) with his mother around was the sole source of his anxiety. Timmy arrived the day after Dru, and while it probably wasn't the _best_ idea not to tell her Timmy would be staying with them until she arrived, it was the idea Armie went with. She didn't understand, didn't approve, but Elizabeth convinced her to give him a chance. Armie wasn't convinced it wouldn't all blow up in his face.

Armie wanted to pick Timmy up at the airport, but Elizabeth refused to allow it. _Think of the press you'll get for that_ , she'd said. So instead, he waited at home while Dru and Elizabeth took the kids out to the park. Armie texted Timmy as much after he landed, and when Timmy arrived at the house, he immediately wrapped his arms around Armie, "How are you?" fell from his lips, and Armie knew exactly what he was really asking.

"It's okay. She's not thrilled about you being here," Armie said, held Timmy close.

"That's so stupid. Just because we did the movie together?"

" _Yes_ ," Armie said. "Don't doubt my mother's ability to hold sexuality against someone."

"It was a _movie_ , why doesn't she get that?" Timmy asked, though they'd had this argument more times that he could count over the years, every time ending with Armie exasperated and frustrated. Timmy wished he hadn't brought it up. "Nevermind, I know I’m just a reminder. Sorry. Let's talk about something else. How are the kids?"

"Good, good. They had colds last week, but it seems like Elizabeth and I made it out without catching it, so that's good," he laughed.

They found the Christmas cookies Elizabeth had left on the counter for Timmy and fell into a pattern of comfortable conversation for a while before the mistletoe caught Timmy's eye. Armie followed his gaze and groaned when it landed on it. "Remind me to completely avoid that this week," he shook his head.

"What, you're not going to walk through that hall at all?" Timmy asked, incredulous.

"Not a chance. Can't risk it."

"Even with Elizabeth?" Timmy asked, flipping his phone over to reply to a text from his mom to tell her he made it, checking Instagram absentmindedly to fill the silence while Armie mulled over his question.

"I guess. I don't know, man. It's been so weird lately, you know?"

"Yeah," Timmy nodded, though he didn't actually know. Armie was always vague on the phone when he talked about their marriage. It didn't surprise Timmy; Armie wasn't used to talking about that sort of thing with people, even with Timmy. They'd dance around it enough that Timmy could get a pretty good idea of what was going on, but it was damn near impossible for Armie to be clear unless they were face to face.

"Anyway. With Mom here, I just. I don't want to risk anything."

"You mean me?" Timmy asked boldly. When they'd put it up, Armie sent a picture of it to Timmy with a handful of eye roll emojis and a single laughing one. They never really talked about the kiss, not that there was much to talk about. But the picture felt like the most acknowledgement either would ever have of it.

"Well… yeah," Armie chuckled. "God, can you imagine?"

"It would piss her off," Timmy mused with a smirk. Armie hummed and stared at the cookies before shaking his head.

"Not worth the headache," he decided, and Timmy agreed.

Dru was civil to Timmy for the first day, but his charm soon disarmed her of her mock acceptance until she was the one saying what a "nice boy" he was, if only he had more male role models, and how good of it was that Armie was a fatherly presence in his life. Armie tried correcting her, but she didn't want to hear it.

The party was fine, if not initially tense. Armie smoked a little to take the edge off pretty early on. Timmy had smelled it on him and raised his eyebrows, rolled his eyes, and leaned up to say, "I don't know who's going to kill you first, Elizabeth or Dru."

"Fuck you, I'm fine," Armie replied, grabbed a drink with a smirk.

And he was, for a while. But Elizabeth smelled the weed, too, and criticized him for smoking when the kids were around, to which he replied he _didn't_ , and the kids were playing in a different room with a nanny anyway. Dru overheard, and it became a far more dramatic issue than he anticipated, resulting in him wandering away mid-sentence, which neither were pleased with, not surprisingly.

It escalated, and while Timmy and Nick were careful to control how much alcohol Armie consumed, it didn't seem he needed to be drunk to cause a scene.

Dru didn't waste a single opportunity to tell him she didn't approve of this or that, and after an hour of her following him around or telling his friends her opinions, he snapped. "This is because of that boy, isn't it? I thought you might be a good influence on him but I'm afraid he may be a bad influence on you," she'd said. Timmy was close enough to hear, close enough to begin walking towards them to convince Armie to walk away, close enough for Armie to glare at his mother and meet Timmy halfway, pulling them to the side so they'd land under the mistletoe, his eyes meeting his mother's a moment before Ashton said, "Oh shit," and Armie pressed his lips against Timmy's.

And while Timmy knew it was to piss his mother off, he also knew that Armie didn't _have_ to lean into it so much, didn't _have_ to grab his hair, shove his tongue in Timmy's mouth, for it to have its desired effect. Timmy tried to be calm, his hands lifting to rest on Armie's biceps, careful not to move them, careful not to show how badly he wanted to pull him closer. His ears were ringing and each time Armie's tongue touched his, it became harder to remember where they were.

He'd convinced himself years ago that the feelings were residual from filming, that they were just a part of their friendship and part of what made it special, unique. But this was different. This was like igniting something he didn't realize had a wick that could be lit anymore.

The whole thing lasted mere seconds. When Armie pulled back, he looked straight at his mother, said, "Screw you," and walked off, leaving Timmy swaying in the doorway, trying to catch his breath.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have no explanation for why this spiraled but it did and i dont regret it 
> 
> happy day three!

The only time they ever talked about it was the next night when, after Dru had changed her flight and left (without speaking two words to Timmy, and barely enough to Armie to say his actions weren't very "Christian"), Armie wandered into Timmy's room to apologize. "I was pissed and I saw an opportunity. I shouldn’t have done that, I'm sorry," he'd said. "It was way out of line. You know what she does to me, I don't think. You were just there and… I'm sorry." Timmy, unsure of how to react, nodded slowly and told him he understood. He feared the damage would be irreversible if he was honest. "Seriously, I'm sorry," he'd repeated later. Timmy couldn't escape it, the apologies. At breakfast, he apologized again, then before bed that night, until finally, Timmy spun on him and told him to knock it off, that if he was really that sorry then he'd just drop it and stop reminding Timmy of what happened. The rest of his trip passed slowly as Elizabeth eyed him cautiously around the house, though she never said anything. Things were different after that. Timmy was never sure where their line was, and Armie was afraid he'd pushed it so far that Timmy wanted nothing to do with him anymore. It took months for them to fall back into a familiar pattern, but still the tension remained. Armie's marriage was strained at best, his mother all but ignoring him, and Timmy utterly and completely confused.

The next Christmas changed everything.

He wasn't even sure if inviting Timmy was a good idea, but Elizabeth had insisted. _It's not family if he's not here, right,_ she'd asked, her voice bitter as she crossed her arms. It would be their last Christmas party.

Timmy knew the mistletoe would be up, knew if history was any indicator, he'd get trapped under it yet again, and he'd need a game plan. He was determined not to have another encounter with Armie, fearing this time it would be the last straw and he wouldn't be able to recover. His hyper awareness set him on edge from the second he arrived. Elizabeth and Armie seemed to have more problems than ever, and there was rarely a moment where other friends weren't also at the house with them. In fact, Timmy didn't see them speak to one another at all until dinner the first night he was there. Nick saw him staring at their awkward behavior in the kitchen and leaned over to say, "I'm surprised they're even doing this considering the split." Timmy turned, wide eyed, and asked if it was really that serious, if they were really separating. "You don't know? Oh. Damn. Yeah, I mean. He doesn't talk about it but. Yeah. It's pretty bad. I think he's just here for the kids honestly."

It made Timmy even more stressed out to see the mistletoe, Harper as excited as ever, now enlisting Ford in her endeavors to get people to kiss under it, seemingly unaware of all the people who definitely didn't want to get caught. Nick got trapped with some friend of Elizabeth's Timmy had never met on the second day, Armie and Elizabeth caught later that night, and while he'd hoped maybe the family would be more lenient this year considering the marital problems, they all insisted tradition was tradition. It was uncomfortable and Timmy. Was. Anxious.

People started noticing; Timmy tried not to take it personally when everyone was asking if he felt alright all week when Armie never did. Nick, always more aware than Timmy gave him credit for, pulled him aside the night before the party and told him to get over it. He'd looked at him questioningly, but Nick only shook his head. "Are you really that nervous about the damn thing?"

"Nick, it happens every year," Timmy groaned.

" _Yeah_ , and if I have to watch the two of you side step people waiting for each other to be under the damn thing for one more year, I'm going to lose my shit. He's practically single now. Man up or avoid it entirely. I don't care. But stop staring at it so much, it's not going away."

His words haunted Timmy. _Man up or avoid it entirely_. He was contemplating it late into the night with a mug of (spiked) hot chocolate when he heard Armie stumble down the hall from the extra bedroom. He watched him enter the kitchen and gave him a small smile to avoid any awkwardness.

They hadn't been alone since Timmy arrived, and Timmy couldn't help but feel it was intentional on both their sides. Any other time of the year they were fine, but Christmas time, that had come to mean something different. "Hey."

Armie sat next to him and let his head fall into his hands as his elbows rested against the kitchen counter. "Why are you still awake?" he asked.

"Why are you?"

Armie looked over at him, eyes searching for a moment before he chuckled and sat up straighter, peering into Timmy's mug. Timmy extended it to him without another word, and Armie lifted it to his lips with a nod of thanks. "The bed in there is shit," Armie says quietly. "Besides, I haven't been sleeping much lately."

"You didn't tell me it was this bad, Armie." Neither could meet each-other's eyes, and perhaps it was better that way in the dim lighting.

"I didn't want to admit it," Armie shook his head, eyes cast down. Timmy stole a glance over at him and felt guilty for ever wanting to avoid him. "Especially not to you."

"What's that supposed to me?" Timmy asked. Armie sighed and seemed to contemplate something for quite a while before looking at Timmy, meeting his gaze with furrowed brows.

"I'm always fucking up around you. I didn't want to add this to the list of things I did wrong."

"Armie--" Timmy groaned. "I don't think you're a fuck up."

"Everyone else does," Armie said, staring at the counter. "Everyone knows. She tells everyone, like the only way to make it better that our marriage failed was to absolve herself of the blame, and I can't even hold it against her." Timmy wasn't sure what to say, so the two sat in silence for too long. Armie stood to leave, prompting Timmy to follow, reaching out to try to stop him. Armie sighed and turned, the two of them holding gaze, neither breaking the silence for a long moment.

"I don't think you're a fuck up," Timmy said quietly. "I know you make mistakes, but you're not a fuck up. It takes two people to end a marriage, Armie."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?" Timmy asked, his arms falling to his sides. Armie shook his head and let his eyes wander away from Timmy. "Are we really back here? After all these years, you're really going to shut me out? I'm not going to judge you, nothing you do is going to make me want out of this friendship."

"That's just it, isn't it?" Armie mutters, looking back. "You forgive me too easily. That's why you don't give a shit when I do something stupid. Maybe I didn't want to tell you and have you just excuse it all, tell me it's fine when it's not, when I _am_ to blame for this."

"Armie--"

"Like last year, you barely let me apologize for using you before you'd forgiven me. Let me take responsibility."

"Are you _kidding_ me?" Timmy asked. Armie stared back at him, though his confidence wavered. "What do you want from me? To apologize for loving you? For accepting you? I'm _so_ sorry I forgive you when you make a mistake, Armie."

"Don't be a smart ass."

"Then don't be an asshole! If you're not going to talk to me, then I'm going to bed," he mumbled, pushing past Armie to get to the stairs.

Timmy tossed and turned for an hour before he sent a text to Armie, hovering over SEND for far too long:

_I think you LIKE being told you're wrong because if someone else is putting you down you don’t have to. I don't think you want someone to be honest with you and you know I always am for better or worse._

Armie avoided him all morning, averting his eyes whenever Timmy stared. Mid-afternoon, people started showing up to help with the party prep, and it didn't take long for Nick to notice something was off, yet again. "Not now," Timmy groaned when he approached. "Dude, seriously."

"What the hell did you do to him? Seriously, I'm impressed. I haven't seen him this quiet in ages." Timmy told him about their fight and showed him the unanswered text, to which Nick rolled his eyes at. "Oh god. You two are the worst," he'd said with a slap on Timmy's shoulder. "Please for the love of god, figure your shit out before I have to."

The more time that passed with the decorations, the more aware Timmy grew of the silence between him and Armie. He'd had a close call with him and the mistletoe when Armie was carrying a box of tinsel into the living room, but other than that, Armie was distant.

An hour into the party, it happened again, but this time, Harper ran between them into another room, Armie having no choice but to rest a hand on Timmy's arm to keep from falling when she shoved past their legs. A friend of Elizabeth's who'd been a little too warm to Timmy earlier thought this was the greatest thing and pointed out the mistletoe, which caused everyone in the room's attention to turn. Timmy, braced for another awkward encounter, sighed and looked up at Armie expectantly. "I'm not going to kiss you," Armie said defiantly.

" _What_?"

"Dad, it's _tradition_ ," Harper chimed in.

"Don't be a wuss," Ashton smirked, wagging his eyebrows at Nick as if they were in on it all along.

"I'm not, I'm being responsible."

Timmy couldn't believe it. He'd been so worried only to be denied; it was unsettling. For that false sense of responsibility again, no less. "It doesn't mean anything, just kiss me," he challenged, noting these were the first words he'd said to Armie all day.

"You had no problem last year, _dear_ ," Elizabeth says, arms folded in their direction, a glass of wine tilted in her hand.

"This is stupid," Armie muttered, walking away from the crowd. Timmy looked at Nick with narrow eyes, met only with a shrug before he went off in search of another drink. Timmy watched Armie disappear into the next room and followed.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" he asked when he caught up to him in a semi-sequestered hallway.

"Me? _You're_ the one who wants to make out."

"Oh my _god_ are you trying to piss me off? What's gotten into you? Why are you being like this, do you _want_ me to push you away? Is that it? If you didn't want me here you shouldn't have fucking invited me."

"Just leave me alone, Timmy."

"No! You want to take responsibility? Take some fucking responsibility."

"You really want me to kiss you, huh?" Armie said, deflecting.

"This isn't about that! What _happened_ , Armie? What fucking happened? The last time we were together--"

"The last time we were alone was here, a year ago," Armie interrupted. Timmy stared at him, sobered, and nodded.

"And you weren't this much of an ass."

"Yes I was."

"No, Armie. What changed? Is this just because of the divorce? If it's because of the divorce--"

"Drop it."

"Armie--"

"You want to know why I didn't tell you, Tim? You really want to know? You think you want to know why we're getting a divorce? Because Elizabeth thinks I'm in love with you." Timmy stood silently as Armie stared back at him, chest heaving. "Everyone in that room blames me for that marriage ending. So excuse me if I don't want to kiss you in front of them and prove them right."

"Armie, wait," Timmy said, grabbing his arm before he could leave. Timmy's words died on his tongue the second he realized Armie couldn't meet his eyes. Before long, Armie steps away and walks back to the party.

"Did you know?" Timmy asked Nick later. "Why they're getting a divorce?"

"Hmm? I mean yeah. Elizabeth told me before she even asked him for one."

"Jesus Christ. You couldn't have warned me?" Timmy asked, punching Nick's shoulder.

"I thought you knew!"

"That he was in love with me?! No, Nick! I didn't know!"

"Allegedly," Nick said with air quotes. "Allegedly in love with you."

"You and I both know he wouldn't let her go through with it and risk losing the kids if it wasn't true. He would have fought that tooth and nail," Timmy muttered, leaning in close. "You should have warned me, jackass."

"I thought I did when I told you to man up," Nick shrugged. "Look, it's not my place. If you're so pissed go talk to him."

"He won't talk to me!"

"Then make him," Nick suggested, throwing back another shot.

The dishes had been cleaned, the tabled wiped down, the kids fast asleep. Timmy's heart was racing as he paced the length of the hallway leading from the living room to the guest bedroom (technically just a converted study) Armie was sleeping in. He startled when the door opened, Armie spotting him with a confused look. "What the fuck, Tim?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Can we not?"

"You should have told me. If that's what was going on, you should have told me."

"Why?"

"Armie," Timmy groaned. "You are _not_ that stupid."

"I'm going back to bed," Armie sighed.

"What are you so afraid of?" Timmy asked, taking a step towards him. "You _know_ I'm a sure bet, Armie. I _always_ have been. Since fucking Italy. Are you afraid to be happy? Is that it?"

" _No._ " Armie pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes in frustration. They'd never talked about it, but Timmy knew Armie had been told countless times by countless sources that Timmy wanted him. It was always there under the surface, the two of them knowing how he felt and pretending it didn't matter. "I don't want to talk about it."

" _Why?"_ Armie shook his head and glared at Timmy. "Come on, give me one good reason why we shouldn't talk about this." The silence filled the hall until Timmy grew bold. Sensing the only way to get a response was to challenge him, Timmy lifted his chin slightly and licked his lips. "Kiss me."

"Stop."

"Do it. Kiss me. Prove to me this isn't all for nothing."

"This is absurd," Armie complained.

"So she was wrong then? You're getting a divorce for _nothing_?" Armie was silent, and it fueled Timmy more than anything.

Armie stared at him, eyes blaring with intensity as Timmy stepped forward and grabbed Armie's hair. _"Kiss me you coward_."

Armie's lips pressed against his hard, his hands lifting to Timmy's jaw a moment later as Timmy's heart raced through his veins. Armie wasted no time in pressing Timmy against the wall, his arms wrapping around Timmy's shoulders and upper back to feel his heart against his chest. Timmy's hands grasped at Armie's lower back when the kiss deepened, the two of them out of breath in no time at all. With Timmy's hands at his waist, he lifted himself up high enough to break away from the kiss and suck on Armie's neck, his hands gathering the material of Armie's shirt and pulling down to expose more skin. "Should have fucking told me," he said against Armie's shoulder. "Four years, you bastard. You should have told me."

"I'm sorry," Armie mumbled, pulling Timmy back to kiss his lips once more. "I didn't know," he whispered against Timmy. "I was scared."

A few moments later, when they caught their breath, Armie pressed Timmy's shoulders against the wall for some space as he looked into his eyes. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore," he admitted. "Everything's falling apart."

"No, Armie. One thing is falling apart. Aside from your marriage, things are fine."

"But this, you--I don't know how to be with you," Armie said. "I don't know how to do this."

"Yes, you do." Timmy swiped his thumb over Armie's lip. "We've basically been together for years. It's just a little different now."

"I've been an asshole," Armie said, shook his head.

"Yeah, I know," Timmy smirked. "You're going to work on that."

"Oh, am I?"

"You don't want to hear this right now, but I've held back a lot of shit over the years, man. This marriage of yours? I hate to break it to you, but it was probably going to end whether you met me or not. Neither one of you grow well together. You only grow when you're apart."

"God, why are you so fucking smart?" Armie shook his head, hands trailing down Timmy's torso.

"I pay attention," Timmy rolled his eyes. "So sue me."

"Timmy?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"I know," Timmy smiled. "I forgive you."

Armie just laughed and kissed him again, and again, and again, until they packed bags and went to a hotel for rest of Timmy's stay, the two no longer looking to a mistletoe for a measly excuse.


End file.
